by: Packer 

   Everytime I turn my TV on or pick up a wrestling magazine these days, it seems that I'm constantly reminded that wrestling is a work. This guy or that guy is gonna get 'pushed'. This guy or that guy has 'heat' with somebody else. It's really quite madening to be honest with you who are reading these words.

I started watching wrestling around the age of 5 years old. I can honestly say I've seen the sport go from a small, tv studio taped one hour show into a 2 hour weekly show and ppvs' that can last as long as 4 hours. I remember sitting around every Saturday night waiting for 11:15 pm to come along so I could watch the last wrestling show of the week. I didn't have an internet to give me a 'spoiler' and I probably didn't care either. I DO remember giving a damn wether or not Mike Rotundo would finally be able to beat Bad Leroy Brown for the NWA TV Title after so many weeks of trying. Thats cause to me, it was REAL.

I refused to entertain the very notion that they knew who was gonna win before they even set foot in the ring. Thats cause to me, it was REAL. I wasn't alone when I demanded Paul Jones head on a platter after he and the Assasins attacked and cut Jimmy Valiants hair on TV. Those sonsofbitches needed to be beaten to within an inch of their lives for what they did. Because to me it was REAL.

When Ernie Ladd attacked Rick Steamboat on TV and really beat him up, I wanted Ladds' ass in a sling for doing that to Steamboat.Because to me it was REAL. When Greg Valentine seriously injured Roddy Pipers ear and put him 'out of action' for awhile, I was outraged. Because to me it was REAL. Piper HAD to return and destroy The Hammer because he was awesome. Piper was just as mean as Valentine and surely he would make Valentine pay.Because to me it was REAL.

In March of 1983, I was fortunate enough to get to go to Greensboro NC for the Final Conflict cage match between Rick Steamboat and Jay Youngblood and Sgt Slaughter and Don Kernoodle, with the NWA World tag team belts on the line. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach as we neared the Colliseum, knowing that if Rick and Jay lost this match they could NEVER be a team again. I was scared half to death for my favorites. Because to me it was REAL.

When the NC State Patrol sent word to all the local radio stations that traffic going into Greensboro was being rerouted due to the massive number of fans tryng to make their way to the arena to see this, the mother of all cage matches, I and thousands of other fans KNEW it was REAL. When Don Kernoodles' head and face bled like I had never seen before, that was REAL.

For my entire childhood, I would wait with almost an uncontrollable degree of excitment for my wrestling show to come on every week, because to me it was VERY REAL. When Magnum TA fought his way back to even the best of 7 series with Nikita Koloff to name the new US Champion, it was REAL. When The Andersons and Flair broke Dusty Rhodes ankle in the Omni in Atlanta..that was REAL.

Today..20 years later, everybodys' an expert and everybody knows that the Jarrets own TNA and that the McMahons own the WWE. Everybody is an expert on WHY WCW failed and why ECW is still the supposedly most awesome thing since the concept of putting ropes between the corners. Today everybody knows what wrestler is married to what bosses' daughter and how a certain guy from Canada got 'screwed. Today every website in the land has the 'latest updates' going around. Today despite what is forced downmy throat on almost a daily basis, I STILL wanna believe ITS REAL!! And as long as one fan believes it IS REAL, the magic will still be there. Because to me and so many others..its STILL REAL!!

I'm Packer and you've just gone Between the Ropes.