Finally found an Internet Cafe:

This post represents a big big U turn for me , whilst just kicking back and relaxing on my holiday I've had time for reflection.
Like a lot of the Old Boys that post on here and other forums ,I tend to get misty eyed and nostalgic for the wrestling I saw in my youth. But here is the first question to myself , Is it the wrestling I miss or my youth? (I suspect it is the later) . The whole Old School / New School debate has raged since someone coined those phrases ( I'm even now part of the O.W.O. ---Old World Order) I now believe that Old School/New School are in fact the same School. Its all Wrestling , just presented in different ways.

Some football teams play a long overhead ball whilst others keep the ball on the ground , but its all football.

Imagine if you were around ( as many of us were) when the likes of Rocco, Dynamite , even Street in his 'Exotic' persona , hit the ring. Maybe if you were of a certain age you'd have considered these guys to be 'new school' and yet in this day and age they would be refered to as 'old school'.

I guess that what I'm trying to say is that each generation pushes the boundaries a little further , taking the best of the past and combining it with what is relevant to thier era.

It is only right and proper that we have our 'hero's' from the past and keep them in our hearts and remember them fondly, but I've been remiss in comparing todays workers to the past and dismissing them out of hand just be because they are young. And for that I appologise to any young guy starting out that I have savaged.

I'm not talking about good and bad here---we must always praise the good and try to advise the bad and as the old saying goes 'the cream will always rise to the top'.

So on my return from my holidays I'll be attending shows with a 'new' attitude. I wont be going to shows with pre-concieved ideas and I wont be comparing a 2003 show with a 1970's show moaning to myself " oh its all changed".
I'll be front and centre encouraging todays workers to stake thier own claim to a place in British Wrestling's history.

And who knows ? maybe even hardcore does have a place in todays ring--as I said , if its wrestling and if its good wrestling it gets my support.

Faith renewed and being kept, Dusty.

Wow!! what a change of heart. I've read alot of dusty's posts and all of them do make valid pionts (dont know about the memorabilia one though)

But it is nice to see people change their attitude towards the "new school". At the end of the day it is all wrestling.... And it's some of the young rising stars that are doing their best to put British wrestling back on the map and back in to the hearts and homes of prodigal fans that left the fold a while ago.

Open minds is what the sport needs at the moment to bring it back to full glory.

Stam

Dusty - nice to see you back sir - hope the holiday was good

Stamford wrote:
Open minds is what the sport needs at the moment to bring it back to full glory.

Totally agree Stamford. What chance does an up-and-coming young star have when he is constantly confronted by a large 'smart-arse' contingent in the audience. If a period of mat wrestling is inflicted upon them for more than ten seconds the chant of '....boring, boring, boring......' starts up, if they attempt a new routine or spot and don't quite make it work the chant is 'you f*cked up, you f*cked up..........' which must surely eventually inhibit any thoughts of trying any new approaches to matche _style_s or promotion.
Whilst often waxing lyrical about the 'good old days' of BritWrestling on the forum, I do approach current shows without my retrospective rose-tinted specs on. Whilst I have seen a lot of Crap ( my opinion) there a lot of good wrestlers out on the scene at the moment with a great deal of talent and enthusiasm for their chosen 'sport', many of whose abilities are wasted on putting on acrobatic shows to appease the spot marks or are subjected to trite storyline work.
Not for one moment do I feel that the wrestlers are to blame, but that if both promoters and, more importantly, a large percentage of fans were to adopt Stamford's 'open mind' approach we would be getting some way towards producing regular shows that appeal to both old school and new shool audiences.
That would surely be good for box office and ultimately for British Wrestling as a whole.

Firstly, welcome back Dusty! I hope you had a nice holiday. This is an interesting topic. nOstRomO, what you have said sums it all up!

~King Koyote~

Glad what I said made some sense! A lot of fans at the moment are in a sort of transition period... Some are avid veiwers of WWE television and even other American indy promotions. However, their hunger for more wrestling has driven them to seek out British promotions to quench their thirst.
Britsh Wrestling and promotions in general can deliver that kind of excitement... But, only with an open minded look at things. Clever story work will entertain... Then if young deserving talent deliver... Thats it!!

Im glad we are all up with the idea that British Wrestling should adopt a little of everything (_style_ wise)

Finally... a productive post

Stam

Everyone is really working hard on the British circuit at the moment too... Things are really looking up! Well Done everyone!