In his latest blog, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross questioned wrestling fans' ability to gauge the nuances of heels vs. faces when watching programs such as WWE Monday Night Raw or TNA Impact Wrestling. Ross says there are still clear battles between good and evil in professional wrestling, and he wonders if the blurring of lines in the fans' eyes has gone too far.
Jim Ross on heels vs. faces: "It's amazing how many folks who follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ truly don't understand the meaning of being a fan favorite or a TV Wrestling villain. The nuances of each skill set seems to be lost on a generation of fans who have bought into the fact that there's no real difference in heroes and villains in real life."
Ross then makes comparisons to other sports, particularly Ronda Rousey playing a heel to UFC fans, the Lakers vs. Celtics historic basketball rivalry and the Detroit Pistons calling themselves the "Bad Boys" of the NBA.
The other obvious comparison would be LeBron James, who turned heel in the eyes of many fans - especially those in Cleveland - when he left his hometown to join the Miami Heat.
Ross then adds, "Pro wrestling heels carry themselves differently than do their counterparts, they sell differently, they exploit their offensive weaponry differently than the majority of fan favorites and they certainly represent themselves unlike a fan favorite. One major difference is that there are more heel fans today than ever which makes the situation more complex. However, for one to say that there is no more good or evil is being naive and defies our basic human instincts."
I actually to agree with Ross that there are clearly still defined good guys and bad guys in pro wrestling. However, WWE doesn't do themselves any favors when they don't listen to what their audience wants, such as keeping Daniel Bryan heel for way too long despite YES! Chants getting over with the crowds before he eventually turned face. Another more recent example would be Cesaro becoming a true rising star in WWE that the fans love to cheer for ... except he's now curiously aligned with heel manager Paul Heyman.
However, at the end of the day, if some wrestling fans can't tell who is face - Daniel Bryan - and who is heel - Triple H - in certain storylines, then I'll agree with Jim Ross here and say their reality is way too blurred.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
