Professional Wrestling Today ???

Professional wrestling bills itself as “sports entertainment”.  From where I stand, it is certainly not a “sport” and I do not find it even remotely “entertaining”.  So, let me invent my own descriptor for what World Wrestling Entertainment puts on the air periodically:

• “Scripted acrobatic faux violence.”

Another way to look at it is that professional wrestling is a soap opera where serial romantic interludes are replaced by serial “fights to the death”.  The comments above should explain why I rarely refer to any sort of happenstance in the realm of “rassling.  But now there is a story out there that deserves some comment.

Vince McMahon has been the “kingpin” of professional wrestling for about 30 years, and he has been a successful businessman in that arena chalking up a net worth – – according to Forbes – – of $3B.  However, he is now accused in a civil lawsuit of behaviors that go will outside the bounds of sexual harassment.  His accuser says that she was subjected to “sexual slavery” not only at the hands of McMahon but also, she was “served up” to wrestlers and other company executives.  The WWE was recently bought out by another entity and McMahon was on the Board of Directors for that other entity until last week; he has stepped down via resignation from the position and he vows to clear his name and vigorously defend himself.

This story is at a dangerous stage.  It is so salacious that one cannot ignore it totally; witness that even I as a professional wrestling hater am commenting on it.  At the same time, we have only heard one side of this story so far.  To be sure, what we have heard so far is sufficiently revolting that one is spring-loaded to take sides; maybe that is the proper thing to do sometime later as more facts and more testimony under oath present themselves.  However, I will refrain until that time because of numerous precedents where salacious stories proved to be fabricated in the end.  I am NOT saying that is the case here; I don’t know enough yet to take a side – – but it is tempting to recall that reports say McMahon has paid off accusers of his “wrongdoings” in the past and take up the cause against him.

At the moment, this is a civil matter and not a criminal one.

Moving on …  There is an interesting circumstance that may come to pass regarding the 2018 NFL Draft.  In that Draft, there were 5 QBs taken in the first round:

• Baker Mayfield – – 1^st – – Not a bust but certainly not a star QB either
• Sam Darnold – – 3^rd – – This is his 3^rd team in 6 seasons.  Meh!
• Josh Allen – – 7^th – – Franchise QB
• Josh Rosen – – 10^th – – 3 teams in 3 seasons; out of the league.  Flame-out!
• Lamar Jackson – – 32^nd – – Probably about to win his second MVP Award

Many will look at that summary and conclude – correctly – that drafting players in general and quarterbacks specifically is much closer to a crapshoot than it is to a science.  I think there is another way to look at this listing:

• If the Niners beat the Chiefs two weeks from now in the Super Bowl Sam Darnold will be the first QB taken in that year’s first round to get a Super Bowl Ring.

[Aside:  One other QB from the 2018 Draft has already received a Super Bowl Ring.  Danny Etling was on the practice squad of the Pats’ team in 2019 when the Pats beat Rams.  Etling was taken in the 7^th round with the 219^th overall pick in 2018.]

Switching gears …  I have been pondering a question for about a month and offer it up to everyone for consideration.

What is worse for an NFL team:

1. Not having a franchise QB – – OR – –
2. Having a QB who is not a franchise QB but is way overpaid?

Some of the teams who do not currently have franchise QBs:

• Commanders – – it’s been a while since they had a top-shelf QB.
• Falcons – – Mediocre at the very best at the QB position
• Pats – – Embarrasingly ineffective.
• Raiders – – Plain vanilla at QB
• Titans – – Maybe Will Levis?  Some day?  Perhaps?

And here are four teams that seem to be paying a lot more for their QBs relative to the productivity on Sundays:

1. Broncos – – Russell Wilson – – Contract calls for $188M over the next 5 seasons.
2. Browns – – Deshaun Watson – – Contract calls for $138M over the next 3 seasons.
3. Giants – – Daniel Jones – – Contract calls for $106M over the next 3 seasons.
4. Saints – – Derek Carr – – Contract calls for $110M over the next 3 seasons.

So, which of the two lists above is the worst one for a team to be on?  It’s a close call.

Finally, I want to close today with an observation from a professional wrestler named Chris Jericho:

“Think about it – professional wrestling as an Olympic sport would be pretty cool.  Look at figure skating or gymnastics – what is it?  It’s a choreographed performance that is judged.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………