Georgia Wants To Regulate Pro Wrestling

Just what we need more news involving pro wrestling and steroids. Today the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission is meeting to discuss abuses in professional wrestling. They are looking to authorizes new regulations for pro wrestling in Georgia. The group normally regulates the state’s boxing, mixed martial arts and ticket brokers although professional wrestling also falls under the commission’s responsibilities companies like the WWE and TNA had been exempt, thanks to a 2005 statute that excluded groups with total assets or more than $25 million. And to make things more interesting one of the board’s commissioners is Atlanta based attorney Cary Ichter who represents the father of deceased wrestler Chris Benoit. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said Monday the group will leave Georgia if regulations are applied saying “Almost every state knows, and has known for years, that wrestling is entertainment and not a sport,”. When told about McDevitt’s response to the proposed regulations Icther told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “What else would you expect a bully to say?”

I know some are you are thinking this a good thing but in reality is not at all good for the WWE or TNA if they plan to become a touring origination in the near future. The reason that the WWE refuses to be regulated buy a state is because if every state were to do this then every state would have different regulations on how, when and who did the testing witch is a logistical nightmare for a company like the WWE that has a show in a different city every night. Not to even mention state governments never get together on things like this so every state would have a different regulations as to what substances were band. So if your John Cena and you spend so many hours a day traveling, working out and what ever other responsibilities the WWE gives you how are you gonna keep track of what substances are banded in witch states. I’m not in favor of government regulation on pro wrestling of any kind but if its going to be done then it should be done at the federal level to prevent these issues. This is just another example of politicians and lawyers posturing to make themselves look good the sad thing is that the Georgia wrestling fans are the ones who have to suffer because of it.

*Update*
After their meeting today the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission decided to take an additional sixty days to meet with a group of local promoters to try and work with them on how to institute new rules without decimating the independent scene. The during the meeting TNA’s Bill Behrens, Mr. Hughes, Rocky King, and Thunderbolt Patterson were among some of the people who addressed the Commission. WWE also had an attorney present but he did speak.(Source) So basically a what they decided was they want to regulate but they don’t what to shut down the local Georgia Indie feds as a result so they’re gonna take some time to figure out how to do that.

–sideshowRaheem

Cryme Tyme Funny or Offensive?: A sideshow Raheem Rant

Over the past couple of weeks Cryme Tyme has once again become the WWE Raw writers go to guys and it has sparked a growing debate amongst both me and my friends and the IWC on whether the antics of Shad and JTG are funny or offensive. We all know that making fun of stereotypes is something that the WWE dose a lot, know one seems to get upset when Fit Finlay pulls a little person from under the ring or when Umaga and Khali beat there chests and shout gibberish but yet some people say the Cryme Tyme gimmick crosses the line.

The great thing about the WWE is that everyone’s a target it doesn’t matter whether it’s Super Crazy riding a lawn mower down to the ring, Divari wearing curly toed shoes or Vince himself being portrayed as the ever oppressive white man. I guess the thing I don’t get is even if you are offended by this gimmick if you take a real honest look at whats on your TV the way Cryme Tyme is acting is no different than the way you see hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia acting on there MTV show “Adventures In Hollyhood”. Is Cryme Tyme stealing and selling Trevor Murdock’s hat really more disrespectful to black people then Flavor Flav wearing a top hat and a giant clock around his neck while eating a peace of fried chicken on his VH1 show “Flavor of Love” (witch was the #1 rated show on cable BTW). If you’re gonna start calling people out for things like this you need to start with VH1, MTV and BET because I don’t think its fair to call the WWE racist for satirizing things we see in pop culture every day. Personally as a black man I am only offended buy racist things that are not associated with humor ie FEMA’s slow reaction after Hurricane Katrina. The way I see it if something is coming from a place of humor from people that you know are not racist, like Vince McMahon and the WWE, there’s no reason to be upset. I’d like to end this rant with one of my favorite YouTube clips it features Rowdy Roddy Piper in black face and probably would be considered offensive if it was done in any other forum other than professional wrestling.