One thing that really annoys me is..

[mass 04]

crowds trying to get themselves over. It mostly happens in "smarky" places like NYC, Philly, Chicago, Boston, Canada etc... Don't get me wrong a great crowd can make or break a match IMO but stuff like "You can't wrestle" "You fucked up" "Change the channel" stuff really pisses me off.

[Montague]

Sorry, Mass.
What you say is true and I agree.
But fans pay your wages, and these days a lot of fans are smarks.

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but it has always seemed to me as though many/most indy fans are smarks.
But that could also be influenced, as you mentioned, by the specific area.

I also happen to believe that, as the mainstream product’s quality diminishes, you see a higher percentage of smarks because the other "casual" fans drop off and the smarks are all that’s left.

Smarks will watch the show no matter how shitty it is just so they can go on a forum and discuss how the inferior product is causing a loss in mainstream viewers and leaving smarks as the primary demographic…

Wait a minute…

[mass 04]

All very good points. I went to my buddies match a few weeks ago and there were two huge douches behind us. Calling spots before they happened, yelling 'time to go home' near the endings of matches etc... just ruining it for everyone else. Obviously crowds play a huge role in the match in terms of timing, psychology and maybe even the smarkish "workrate" , but that's what they should be, a part of the match, not the focal point of it.

It cracked me up to see those jabronis with the "If Cena Wins We Riot" signs at ONS. I'm of the attitude that, yeah, you're in the know but suspend belief and enjoy it. It's a fine line also. Some crowds have made matches, like Hulk-Rock and the way they turned the match and the characters. That was just genuine love for everything wrestling is. It's the douches like the ones mentioned above i can't stand, if that makes sense lol.

[Montague]

I know exactly what you mean.
Next time ask them, “Hey, when you go to the movies do you talk to the fvcking screen?”

Really, what does it prove by calling a spot, etc.?
Anybody who’s ever given it more than 10 minutes of thought can do the same.

It would be like going to a Steven Seagal movie and right as it looked like the bad guys would get Seagal you blurt out, “He’s not gonna die here, he’s going over in this movie.”

Although, with the last couple of movies he’s made, you may find me in the theatre with a sign that reads “IF SEAGAL WINS I RIOT!”

[Playboy]

crowds trying to get themselves over. It mostly happens in "smarky" places like NYC, Philly, Chicago, Boston, Canada etc... Don't get me wrong a great crowd can make or break a match IMO but stuff like "You can't wrestle" "You fucked up" "Change the channel" stuff really pisses me off.

Nothing you can do there. The fans paid for their ticket. Its all part of the game although I do agree that they can be pretty harsh. To this day in any arena you go to in Canada, if Michaels is on the card, they will still chant "You screwed Bret".

[leonp1981]

I'm not a fan of people calling the spots before they happen, and just abusing the guys regardless of what they're doing.  But sometimes, a different kind of crowd keeps the wrestlers on their toes.  Take this Monday's RAW, from Calgary, all the fans were cheering for Jericho, Orton, etc. which I think is good.

If every single person in the arena is booing the face, then it forces the heel to do something to fix that.  If everyone did as they were supposed to, then the guys would never get challenged in that way.

[mass 04]

What about the original ECW? I used to go when it came to NYC. From beginning to end the crowd would always be chanting something. Alot of it was really funny. Was always a fun time.  I never cared for that "What?" during the attitude era. What was that supposed to mean?

That's the point im trying to get across, albiet poorly lol. Those were great crowds beacuse they added to the match and loved the product. The people who chant stupid stuff and ruin the match for everyone else is what bothers me. The old ECW crowds were about the product, not about themselves.

[The Showstoppa]

Attending wrestling live should be an excuse to suspend belief and go along for the ride.  Calling spots is just ruining for younger fans, etc...  idiots.

[Playboy]

What about the original ECW? I used to go when it came to NYC. From beginning to end the crowd would always be chanting something. Alot of it was really funny. Was always a fun time.  I never cared for that "What?" during the attitude era. What was that supposed to mean?

If you want to see a crowd reaction boo fest watch on the Cena DVD when he wrestled RVD in Philidelphia in an ECW interpromotional match. One guy had a sign that read, "If Cena wins, We riot." That was a very hostle crowd that was very pro RVD and they hated Cena with a passion. Cena took his shirt off and threw it in the crowd. They threw it back in the ring.

[leonp1981]

If you want to see a crowd reaction boo fest watch on the Cena DVD when he wrestled RVD in Philidelphia in an ECW interpromotional match. One guy had a sign that read, "If Cena wins, We riot." That was a very hostle crowd that was very pro RVD and they hated Cena with a passion. Cena took his shirt off and threw it in the crowd. They threw it back in the ring.

I love this clip, not a single Cena fan in the crowd!

[Thin Lizzy]

I love this clip, not a single Cena fan in the crowd!

One of the coolest clips I've ever seen. Gotta give Cena credit. I would've been scared chitless to come out into that crowd.

[Playboy]

I loved the part were they kept throwing his shirt back in the ring. I heard after that match he had to litterally be escorted back into his limo from the ring and to the hotel. Gone.