Discussion topic for the day: who cares what I have to say? About wrestling or anything else?

Here's how the subject came up...

1. A poster out on Delphi quoted the wrestler Chyna as having some catty things to say about fellow performer Bill Goldberg. The thread and it's thread children make a fun read. The thrust of the original post is that she doesn't have much room to talk about Goldberg being a product of hype and not that great a worker.

2. The thread became fun when the Chyna haters (there are a bunch) clashed with the Chyna defenders (there are a few) and degenerated into the usual name-calling and suggestions that the other posters are of dubious heredity. At any rate, a point was brought up by the original post is one that interest me, namely:

3. Who has credibility to comment on wrestling?

I posted in the thread something to the effect that Chyna, as an active participant and observer in the business for the last five years or so, is probably unusually qualified to comment on the business. She is a worker, after all, has been trained by some great workers, and is also probably defensive of long-time boyfriend, top WWF wrestler and Goldberg enemy, Triple H. So she vents a little. Lord knows she hears enough criticism, she has the right to give some.

But, let's for a moment take an opposing view. Let's say that because she is not widely considered a world-class worker that she is not qualified to speak about other wrestlers. Let's also say, for the sake of argument, that she has lucked her way into her position and that she owes it all to Vince McMahon and Triple H. So, she should just hush up and be humble, right?

I think that would be wrong, even if you grant the premises in the previous paragraph, which I don't. Most everybody reading this paragraph can't work. We still feel qualified to criticize others... and we are. We're fans.

But as I said, I disagree with the criticisms discarding her credibility. Every successful wrestler has to have a combination of mat skills, look, interview skills, storylines, and hype to make the whole package work. She has a great look and has been involved in memorable storylines. She obviously works very hard to keep up her physique. She is not the greatest interview in the world, but she has been very good in skit type work. She has gotten the benefit of some WWF hype, but for a reason: she has helped them make money. Like it or not.

Her wrestling itself comes in for the most criticism, but I've seen her look good in the ring. I personally really like her drop sleeper. It looked convincing to me knocking out Eddy Guerrero. But that's just one man's opinion.

For those in the online community for whom ringwork is the thing and the only thing, she is something of an anathema. But I enjoy her as part of the show.

You may disagree (I'm pretty sure most will) with my assessment. And why should you listen to me? What are my credentials?

On the plus side, I've been watching wrestling assiduously for about fifteen years. I've gotten reasonably familiar with the history of the sport and the personalities involved. I respect it as a very difficult and athletic type of performing.

On the minus side, I myself am just this side of a physical wreck and get blown out trying to warm up for exercise class. I've never wrestled professionally, and my only amateur wrestling experience was in middle school, where I spent more time on my back than a cheap... oh, you finish the analogy.

So, I have no particular credibility, but I will give my opinions, and the reasons why I think they are consistent with my whole body of beliefs. I think Chyna is an enjoyable performer. She has as much credibility as most (more than many) when criticizing other performers.

That being said, I think she was too hard on Bill Goldberg.

But who cares what I think?