Congrats to Becky Lynch and Finn Balor

Hat's off to them. Incredible achievement when you think about it.

The dedication required is nothing short of amazing. There's really no money in it unless you get into WWE, so to be able to not just keep at it, but really believe in yourself that you'll get in the door of WWE, and then become a success within that company.. it's incredible.

There's probably about what? 100 wrestlers on the roster. And millions of people around the world trying to make a living at it. That alone should tell you just how hard it is to get anywhere within the wrestling world. Must be among the most difficult career paths in the world, with no guarantee of anything out of it, no matter how long you keep at it.

Those who insult it, really show up how little they know or appreciate about the world around them - Trust me, either of the two folks mentioned in the thread title are much more successful than any sad git calling it fake that sits down the pub thinking watching millionaire's kick a football and getting drunk is something worth aspiring to.

Stab*City

Necro wrote: »

I'm sure people will always find reasons to rag on wrestling, and that's fine, it's not their jam.

WWE is massive in America with turnovers some legit sports can only dream of.

Becky Lynch is actually only the second European to ever main event a Wrestlemania which is a huge achievement in itself. Comparably shes also the first to win their match.

On top of that after 35 years the women main evented Wrestlemania for the first time in the company's history, an astonishing feat if you consider that up to probably 4 years ago women were viewed as an afterthought or the sexy wet dream fantasies for the audience, and barely legitimate.

It might be scripted, but considering that she was selected for that win ahead of everyone else, including her opponents:

Ronda Rousey - a legit box office star in terms of combat sports. May have lost her last few fights but drew more money for the UFC than 90% of the men, ever.

Charlotte Flair - Fantastically athletically gifted, and the daughter of Ric Flair, a living legend in the business with championship pedigree.

It's a phenomenal achievement any way you split it.

Used to love it when i was a kid, love watching my daughter enjoy it now due to the female wrestlers being so prominent, I actually think it has played a big part in her confidence over the last 18 months or so as she is very confident.

I like it for the spectacle it is nothing more nothing less and sher if it helps kids escape how bad.

Gimme A Pound

Yeah I love that there are bad-ass bitches involved in wrestling - good to see tough women instead of the perpetually offended and victimised.

JP Liz V1

Berserker wrote: »

It's in the entertainment section of the RTE site.

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0408/1041285-irish-wrestler-becky-lynch-crowned-double-wwe-champion/

I am surprised Ryan has not had her on The Late Late Show, I believe he had Sheamus on

Jackman25

Deleted User wrote: »

Hat's off to them. Incredible achievement when you think about it.

The dedication required is nothing short of amazing. There's really no money in it unless you get into WWE, so to be able to not just keep at it, but really believe in yourself that you'll get in the door of WWE, and then become a success within that company.. it's incredible.

There's probably about what? 100 wrestlers on the roster. And millions of people around the world trying to make a living at it. That alone should tell you just how hard it is to get anywhere within the wrestling world. Must be among the most difficult career paths in the world, with no guarantee of anything out of it, no matter how long you keep at it.

Those who insult it, really show up how little they know or appreciate about the world around them - Trust me, either of the two folks mentioned in the thread title are much more successful than any sad git calling it fake that sits down the pub thinking watching millionaire's kick a football and getting drunk is something worth aspiring to.

Is that what everyone that thinks its fake does?
The OP called "A new Irish sporting hero", people are entitled to opine that they think that may not be the case.

Not a fan of it myself. Used to love WWF and Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Jake the Snake etc when I was a kid, but once I copped it wasn't real, I didn't really see the point of it and completely lost interest. But each to their own.

Zaph

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

After watching this video my opinion of it has changed dramatically. It's unbelievable how much of an asshole Vince McMahon is!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8UQ4O7UiDs

After watching John Oliver's piece about the WWE last week I can't believe that wrestling fans would so willingly hand over almost a billion dollars a year to an organisation that basically craps all over its employees. Except that they're not actually employees, they're all individual contractors who can be dropped in a heartbeat if they're injured for a few weeks. And that's before you start examining the premature death statistics.

Personally I think wrestling is a load of horsesh*te and I really can't see how it appeals to anyone over the age of 12. However I can appreciate that the wrestlers themselves are proper athletes who put their bodies through phenomenal punishment, and as such deserve to be treated a whole lot better by the WWE than they are now, which is essentially as a commodity to be used up and discarded when they're spent.

If wrestling fans really care about the people they pay a lot of money to see, then they need to use that power to hit the WWE where it really hurts, in the balance sheet. And if they're successful at least the people who are responsible for making Vince McMahon and co. so rich can at least be treated with a bit of dignity outside the ring.

Guy:Incognito

Necro wrote: »

That's funny I could have sworn I saw a Game of Thrones forum on Boards that is also quite active....

Theres also a wrestling forum.......

Your Face

Kobe Harsh Mace wrote: »

Did your mam let you stay up late to watch it or did you record it and watch it when you got in from school?

Yer mam said she would record it for me, amongst the other things she likes to do for me.

Jerichoholic

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I am surprised Ryan has not had her on The Late Late Show, I believe he had Sheamus on

He had Marty Morrissey and someone with a blog on last week. It's not something to aspire to.

fullstop

upinsmoke wrote: »

No different to an adult watching Game of Thrones. Please explain the difference.

If someone wins a fight on Game of Thrones, do you start a thread to congratulate them on the 'achievement'?

Berserker

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I am surprised Ryan has not had her on The Late Late Show, I believe he had Sheamus on

Guessing scheduling has a big part to play in that. The WWE are in Dublin next month but it's on a weekday.

rossie1977

Zaph wrote: »

After watching John Oliver's piece about the WWE last week I can't believe that wrestling fans would so willingly hand over almost a billion dollars a year to an organisation that basically craps all over its employees. Except that they're not actually employees, they're all individual contractors who can be dropped in a heartbeat if they're injured for a few weeks. And that's before you start examining the premature death statistics.

Because fans for the most part are only interested in the characters the people play on TV and the storylines not the private lives of pro wrestlers.

In saying that many pro wrestlers are multi millionaires so wrestling fans who are usually poorer and less educated than say boxing or mma fans and probably have their own worries than wondering if a preliminary wrestler will be financially set once his or her contract ends.

Nobody forces wrestlers to sign with WWE. What they make from weekly pay, merchandise, ticket sales, number of dates they must work are all outlined in the detailed contracts they sign with the company before starting. Thats why any lawsuits against WWE on the issue have failed in court. On top of that most of the pro wrestlers are strong conservatives so would feel it's their responsibility to provide for themselves.

Oliver's piece is fine but it contains dated info from 20 years ago in many cases. Since 2007 WWE has one of the finest drug and safety programs in US sport..premier league and GAA would do well to follow it's lead especially regarding concussions.

You also have to take into account there are dozens of pro wrestling feds across America and hundreds across the world primarily in places like Mexico and Japan where there is next to no safety measures in place. If WWE didn't exist those same wrestlers would be working a much more dangerous style without the financial rewards.

Jerichoholic

fullstop wrote: »

If someone wins a fight on Game of Thrones, do you start a thread to congratulate them on the 'achievement'?

It's just entertainment, people are happy that two Irish people are doing well and wanted to talk about it.

What's the harm in that, you could just not read the thread if you don't care.

Jerichoholic

rossie1977 wrote: »

Because fans for the most part are only interested in the characters the people play on TV and the storylines not the private lives of pro wrestlers.

In saying that many pro wrestlers are multi millionaires so wrestling fans who are usually poorer and less educated than say boxing or mma fans and probably have their own worries than wondering if a preliminary wrestler will be financially set once his or her contract ends.

Nobody forces wrestlers to sign with WWE. What the make from weekly pay, merchandise, ticket sales, number of dates they must work are all outlined in the detailed contracts they sign with the company before starting. Thats why any lawsuits against WWE on the issue have failed in court. On top of that most of the pro wrestlers are strong conservatives so would feel it's their responsibility to provide for themselves.

Oliver's piece is fine but it contains dated info from 20 years ago in many cases. Since 2007 WWE has one of the finest drug and safety programs in US sport..premier league and GAA would do well to follow it's lead especially regarding concussions.

You also have to take into account there are dozens of pro wrestling feds across America and hundreds across the world primarily in places like Mexico and Japan where there is next to no safety measures in place. If WWE didn't exist those same wrestlers would be working a much more dangerous style without the financial rewards.

The point of it is WWE are running a scam with "independant contracters" to avoid paying for healthcare and travel expenses. If the were really independent contracters they could work anywhere they wanted, but they absolutely cant.

Vince also "came clean" about wrestling being fake in the 80's to avoid paying a sport tax.

He's a cheapskate, most rich people are though.

rossie1977

fullstop wrote: »

If someone wins a fight on Game of Thrones, do you start a thread to congratulate them on the 'achievement'?

No because that's different. It would be more akin of congratulating an Irish actor who started at the bottom working local theatre in front of 10 people a few years ago to winning an Oscar for best actor/actress.

AllForIt

Some of those wrestlers should be nominated for an Oscar.

Some of those movie fighting actors should get a sports medal.

pleasant Co.

rossie1977 wrote: »

No because that's different. It would be more akin of congratulating an Irish actor who started at the bottom working local theatre in front of 10 people a few years ago to winning an Oscar for best actor/actress.being cast as the lead in a really big episode of a popular long running tv show.

Hmmmmm, it seems the same to me as what you’re saying makes absolutely no sense.

Jerichoholic

Inside the wrestling bubble getting the belt is the same as getting an oscar. To everyone else it means nothing though.

iguana

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

I don’t think normal people care too much about wrestling itself but when you have grown men trying to convince you it’s a sport it gets a bit much.

It's not a sporting competition but I'd say it's a sport in the same way that professional ice-skating or acrobatics is a form of sport. They are high level athletes performing for entertainment. They are excellent at what I'd consider to be a form of gymnastics. So while I wouldn't recognise Lynch and Balor for their wins in the same way that I'd recognise Katie Taylor, for example, they would have to be extremely hard working and talented in their field to be chosen as the winners and the characters who had a whole narrative built around them leading to the win.

Eta: I never enjoyed wrestling myself (other than Netflix' GLOW) but I've taken my son to a few of the shows that tour around Ireland and they are genuinely excellent fun to take kids to. Like a pantomime with scissor kicks. What's not to love?

Guy:Incognito

iguana wrote: »

It's not a sporting competition but I'd say it's a sport in the same way that professional ice-skating or acrobatics is a form of sport. They are high level athletes performing for entertainment. They are excellent at what I'd consider to be a form of gymnastics. So while I wouldn't recognise Lynch and Balor for their wins in the same way that I'd recognise Katie Taylor, for example, they would have to be extremely hard working and talented in their field to be chosen as the winners and the characters who had a whole narrative built around them leading to the win.

For it to be a sport it has to be a competition. Its not a competition if its scripted, with predetermined "winners"

iguana

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

For it to be a sport it has to be a competition.

It doesn't necessarily. The Council of Europe's European Sports Charter, for example, states that 'Sport' means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels. WWE style wrestling certainly falls into that definition.

eagle eye

**** Europe's definition. Its scripted and fictional, it's a theatre or circus act, take your pick

YFlyer

Fighting Tao wrote: »

They won nothing. It’s scripted like a soap opera. Do you send congrats to the cast of Fair City for not screwing up their lines?

Wasn't there some public reaction to some event in a British soap years back? Even Tony Blair government got involved. Can't remember the details.

Jerichoholic

Jerichoholic wrote: »

Inside the wrestling bubble getting the belt is the same as getting an oscar. To everyone else it means nothing though.

But that's true of pretty much everything?


I couldn't give a shte who wins a UFC championship. Couldn't name two or three UFC fighters if I tried (exceptions being McGregor cos he's forced down our throats, and Lesnar cos... It's Lesnar.).


If you're a huge UFC fan you'll probably want to cut my throat for saying that.. yet you probably won't be able to name 3 Golfers yourself, etc. etc.


Not everyone cares about everything, but I still think it's nice when a lad from Wicklow is a headline act at a WrestleMania.

Necro

fullstop wrote:

If someone wins a fight on Game of Thrones, do you start a thread to congratulate them on the 'achievement'?

No of course not. Because they are two separate things.

But there are threads started to discuss each and every separate episode in a similar fashion.

So your point is ridiculous as both things are openly discussed not just here, but in their dedicated forum.

It just so happens that WWE had their version of the Superbowl/All Ireland/Season Finale last night and the OP wished to discuss the Irish involvement.

Got any more ridiculous statements for me to completely debunk while you're at it?

IncognitoMan

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

One of the managers couldn’t keep a straight face when he was telling us about it on a coffee break.

Ironically enough I presume it's because he sees it as childish behaviour but he's the one acting like a 14 year old girl. :pac:

padd b1975

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I am surprised Ryan has not had her on The Late Late Show, I believe he had Sheamus on

Gay had Giant Haystacks on back in the day.

Yurt2

To me, golf is a load of auld lads running around a manicured field trying to get a ball in a hole. There's competition involved sure - but I think it's one of the more pointless and silly looking sports. But, it floats people's boats so whatever. I'll just say it's not for me. You're more likely to hear people droning on about the never-ending golf season than wrestling.

Becky Lynch and Finn Balor are at the top of their industry, are wildly popular, and bust their guts to get there. If you don't like it, that's ok. But just remember when you're sneering from your mind-numbing office job or barstool that they're now stinking rich.

As the wrestler / philosopher Ric Flair once wisely opined: WooooOoooOooO!

Hercule Poirot

YFlyer wrote: »

Wasn't there some public reaction to some event in a British soap years back? Even Tony Blair government got involved. Can't remember the details.

Free the Weatherfield One!

Kermit.de.frog

You can't congratulate a scripted winner OP.

However, I have seen her interviewed and aside from the nonsense of her job she comes across as far more deserving, articulate and intelligent than Conor McGregor with his moronic "sport".