Open Letter to WWE Fans: Stop Taking the Product so Seriously

Take a moment and ask yourself a question. Why did you become a fan of professional wrestling?

Was is the over-the-top personalities of the performers, the superhero-like outfits and physiques, the physicality of the action or the themes of good vs. evil? Or was it all of these things and more?

Now ask yourself a second question. When did you start taking it too seriously?

As writers and analysts, we see how much you love wrestling in the comments you write on our articles and social media, but we also see how cynical the general public has become about the product.

Instead of just sitting back and enjoying the ride, we nitpick, overanalyze and criticize every little detail of every match.

Pro wrestling is ridiculous and fun, but when we become too invested, it starts to affect us in a way no form of entertainment ever should. It's supposed to be an escape from the real world, not another way to make ourselves mad by putting too much thought into it.

Think About Wrestling as a TV Show, Not a Sport

We don't need to debate whether wrestling is a sport again. That has been done enough to last everyone a lifetime.

However, the moment you start thinking of WWE the same way you think about football, baseball or hockey, it's no longer the circus we fell in love with as children.

What we all need to do is start treating it like we would any other TV show. Think about your favorite sitcom for a moment.

Do you sit there and criticize every joke and try to envision how you would have done things better, or do you just enjoy the show for what it is and have a good laugh?

We'll use Modern Family as an example. The character Luke Dunphy isn't featured as much as he was in the earlier seasons, but nobody is accusing Manny Pritchett of burying him so he can have more lines.

Characters go through story arcs and cycles, and it's the same thing with pro wrestlers. Just because Dolph Ziggler isn't winning every match doesn't mean he isn't an important part of the show.

In fact, Ziggler is featured more than most main event stars. He usually wrestles on both Raw and SmackDown every week. The same can't be said about John Cena.

There's nothing wrong with wanting your favorites to succeed, but you have to be willing to accept they won't always be the main character just because you want them to be.

Stop Using the Word "Buried" so Much

One of the most overused words among pro wrestling fans is "buried." If someone we like loses a big match to a guy like John Cena or Roman Reigns, people flood the comments section and social media saying "So-and-so was buried."

If a person is being featured on television regularly, they are not being buried. In fact, it's the opposite.

Of course, there are exceptions. Zack Ryder was definitely buried deeper than a pirate's treasure after he got himself over using YouTube and Twitter to connect with his fans.

"

Good thing Sting came to the WWE to get buried twice before being forced to retire due to injury. Really great. Trips looks great though.

— shane (@shane_gc) March 17, 2016"

However, that is a rare case, and even he managed to end up in a match at WrestleMania 32, which proves nobody stays in the doghouse forever.

You're allowed to be upset if your favorite wrestler isn't being used the way you think they deserve, but don't treat it like it's the end of the world.

As stated above, a wrestler's career goes through cycles. It ebbs and flows. If someone has to take a backseat so another talent can get some screen time, it doesn't mean they fell victim to Triple H's metaphorical shovel.

Don't Use Wrestling as a Way to be Anti-Establishment

The great thing about wrestling fans is how passionate we are about the Superstars and Divas we like the most, but there's an ugly side to the WWE Universe, too.

There is no greater example of herd mentality than in the case of Roman Reigns. Nobody is forcing you to cheer for him, but there is no logic behind the heat he gets every week.

When The Shield was first gaining momentum, Reigns got the biggest pop every time he was tagged into a match. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose's reactions didn't even come close.

Management saw how popular he was becoming, so it got behind him and gave him a huge push. All of a sudden, it became cool to boo Reigns because he was perceived as a "Vince McMahon guy."

Is he the best technical wrestler? Not even close. Has he continued working to improve every aspect of his game? Absolutely.

Reigns has an exciting array of signature moves, the drive to succeed and more power than a Sherman tank. He will never be The Rock, but he is capable of creating his own legacy if we let him.

Booing someone because they are a bad guy is one thing, but choosing to do it just because it's the popular thing to do is tantamount to bullying. Wrestling fans are ostracized quite a bit. Don't be as bad as the people who mock us for what we love. 

Find the Line and Choose Not to Cross it

The line between passion and obsession, critical and cynical and love and hate is thinner than a razor's edge. Once you cross that line, it's almost impossible to go back.

The WWE Universe is a group of passionate fans made up of every kind of person. Kids, adults, blue-collar workers, white-collar executives, greasers and socs all connect over their shared love of the ridiculousness that is pro wrestling.

We buy shirts, make signs, cheer our hearts out and chant with the crowd to show our love, but many of us have turned from passionate fans into obsessive critics.

We aren't supposed to write in the first person, but it's necessary for this part of the article. I recently realized I had crossed that line, and then I became sad.

When I was a kid in the '80s and '90s, WWE was my way of escaping the real world for a few hours each week. The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage were like superheroes come to life, and I loved every minute they were on my television.

At some point, I stopped enjoying wrestling for what it was and started taking it too seriously. I started to critique every little detail of every match and promo instead of allowing myself to just be a fan.

Nobody is saying you have to like every minute of Raw and SmackDown, but we all need to step back and remember not to pick apart every little thing until all we have left is our own cynicism.

When WrestleMania 32 airs on April 3, attempt to turn off the part of your brain that critiques the product and try to remember what it is you loved about WWE as a kid. You might find yourself having more fun.

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter: @BR_Doctor.