Very rarely do I have a chance to talk about professional wrestling in the sports page. (In fact, rarely do I ever write a column, as I have a team of sports writers that love to do this kind of stuff). In any event, pro-wrestling is not really a sport, and is as staged as any opera or ballet, so it really doesn't warrant my attention in this capacity.
After the events that transpired on Thursday night's World Wrestling Federation's presentation of "Smackdown," however, I feel the time may be right to give these showmen (and women) their due. They are constantly accused of corrupting America's youth with violence, but on this night they helped a national television audience, looking to distance themselves for a couple of hours from the horrors they witnessed on Sept. 11, see the silver lining.
For those who watch the show like myself, you know that Smackdown always begins with music, lights and a large pyrotechnic show. Yet, the start of the show on Thursday night was more impressive than anything they could have created with smoke and mirrors.
A sellout crowd, 13,000 strong, looking for an outlet for their emotions, stood in unison at the Compaq Center in Houston and chanted "U.S.A, U.S.A."
This is not uncommon in wrestling. Storylines involving a patriotic character against a foreign foe have been played out many times, but this time there were no wrestlers to chant for, just a nation struggling to put itself back together after witnessing the work of pure evil.
And on this night, which was the first public gathering of its size since the tragedy that took place Tuesday, Vince McMahon addressed the crowd.
Vince did not address them as "good Vince," "bad Vince," or "reveling in my own sexual prowess Vince." He addressed them as Vince McMahon, father of two, and charismatic American.
"Make no mistake about the message this public assembly is sending to terrorism tonight," he shouted. "That message is quite simply that we will not live our lives in fear. By god, the citizens of the United States are not afraid!"
The crowd chanted "U.S.A, U.S.A" again.
"America's heart has been wounded," he went on to say. "But her spirit shines as a beacon of freedom, a beacon of freedom that never was, nor ever will be extinguished."
This man, who has faced more lawsuits than I can count on two hands, has never spoken truer words.
Therein lies the silver lining.
After a short break, all of the performers walked out onto the stage. They threw away the rivalries that their characters have been acting out, and stood on the stage as one while a teary-eyed Lillian Garcia performed our national anthem.
That display was a microcosm of our nation right now. Driving down the street I see flags everywhere, people standing in line to give away money, and donating blood. The citizens of the United States have unified behind one cause, to eradicate the threat of terrorism around the world.
Therein lies the silver lining.
"I actually contemplated whether this show was the right thing to do," Adam Copeland (better known as "Edge") said in one of the many taped video messages the WWF performers had recorded for the show. "After I contemplated it I decided that as a WWF family we need to do our job tonight, and our job is to bring smiles to the faces of all your families. If we can do that, then this show was the right thing to do."
During the show "The Rock" talked about his "strudel." An explanation is probably required here, but I don't have the space. The point is that it indeed brought a smile to the face of everyone in the arena and those watching at home, justifying Mr. Copeland's reason for performing that night. Perhaps some of us laughed for the first time in days.
Therein lies the silver lining.
Finally it was time for the main event, pitting Kurt Angle against Rhyno.
Angle is the closest thing the WWF has to a patriotic character (although that's not his only motivation). He won Olympic gold in wrestling when the games were held in Atlanta. He will also be challenging for the WWF title at the next pay-per-view. On this night however, he was a symbol of American pride.
The crowd boomed inside the Compaq Center as Angle's entrance music hit, and he received the loudest ovation he has ever heard in his career. One could actually see his heart swell as he listened to the cheers, knowing that they were meant more for the heroic rescuers in New York than for him.
Angle, however, found himself down late in the match, and when Rhyno hit his signature move, "the gore," it appeared he was down for the three count.
But, of course, he wasn't. Angle kicked out, countered with the "Olympic Slam," and won the match as the crowd once again rose to its feet chanting "U.S.A, U.S.A."
Like Angle, the American people will not stay down, not on this night, or any night. We will use our strength, our resolve, and our unity to make terrorism fall to its knees. We will win the day.
Therein lies the silver lining.
