Wrasslin..

When I was growing up in St.Louis, every sunday morning Wrestling at the chase was on t.v. It was a local wrestling showcase at a downtown hotel, that included what were at the time, and would become some of the biggest names in the "sport."
I distinctly remember Kerry Von Erich, and trying to emulate his "Ironclaw" on my step brother. I remember thinking that some day I'd workout and have muscles like the Von Erich brothers. It was the first time I thought about being an athlete, or that there was value in having muscles. It had nothing to do with girls, It was all about kicking butt (cut me some slack I was 7). I had a little weights set hollow bar with some plastic covered weights. I did endless curls. My parents bought me a weight bench, and every other weekend for a while I would "work out" with my dad. My parents decided I needed to do it more often (little chunkster that I was) and they moved it to my mom's house and instead of "working out with my pop," they 'made' me work out by myself. I rebelled and didn't touch a weight again till high school. Professional wrestling was the thing, that was what made me decide that I wanted to be "big and strong." As I got older I fell back in and out of the wrestling thing.
As a kid: it was super cool.
In highschool: "ah B.S. that's all fake."
In college: A bunch of the guys would get together and watch Monday night 'RAW' together, drink some beers (or not) and hang out, but it was a social thing more than a wrestling thing.
Afterwards... there was the steroid thing.
I admire the physiques these guys put together, but it can't be worth it. They're over worked, beat up, and juiced out of their minds (in my opinion) and it's taken a devastating toll. These real life super heroes, complete with tights and catch phrases are O.D.ing, dieing young of heart attacks, or flat out losing their minds. It's a sad state of affairs, but I still have a soft spot for it. Much like a lot of people (especially women) who saw Rachel McLish compete in the 80s must be sad to see body building going the direction it has, but still want to love the things about it that drew them in initially. Something's gotta give.
I'm glad I got out of it what I did, it's just too bad these men who were my heroes are now used up, or dead.
Mahalo.