Idiot's Guide pretty good
By BOB KAPUR -- For SLAM! Wrestling
It's no news that wrestling has once again become *the* thing to watch. Not
since the mid-80s has pro wrestling been more popular, capturing mainstream
attention and new fans daily.
Sure, there are diehards, those of us who watched wrestling long before
Steve Austin made it cool. The ones who remember Jesse Ventura as part of
the East-West Connection rather than as Governor of Minnesota. Those of us
who watched the Funks and Briscos, not just heard about these legends in
Ric Flair's pre-Superbrawl interviews. Those of us who stuck with it
through the "Goonies" video, the Black Scorpion fiasco, and the T.L. Hopper
debacle, despite being derided and ridiculed by our friends and family for
watching "that lame, fake, baby stuff."
But for the most part, today's wrestling fans are new wrestling fans.
People who follow wrestling because it's the new flavour of the month.
Those who are fully versed in the Book of Austin, but think Bruno Sammartino
is the name of Joe Pesci's character in "Goodfellas." People who think
that wrestling began with the formation of the Outsiders, and that... well,
you get the point.
For both of these types of fans, I suggest "The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Pro Wrestling." A 1999 publication, co-authored by the legendary Captain
Lou Albano, this book details the industry of pro wrestling with little if
no holds barred.
The Guide explains the various concepts of the pro wrestling industry in
great detail, using simple, clear language in a logical presentable manner.
As with most "Idiot's Guide" books, the authors illustrate their points with
interesting historical tidbits and illustrative examples, making it an easy,
enjoyable read.
The book chronicles pro wrestling from its carnival ground infancy, to the
billion dollar industry that it is today. Every aspect is covered, from the
organizations, the personalities, the theatrics, and the athletics.
Sprinkled with first-hand experiences of Captain Lou, the book is an
informative and entertaining look at the entire essence of pro wrestling.
Fans, both new and old, will appreciate the look at stars of yesterday and
today. For newer fans, it will introduce them to the career history of some
of the current big names: Hulk Hogan, Sabu, and Steve Austin, for example.
For long-term fans, the book brings back fond memories of the legends and
heroes: Verne Gagne, Killer Kowalski, Eddie Gilbert, to name a few. Many
stars' career highlights are written about, and some classic feuds are
revisited in blow-by-blow detail.
The book is fully comprehensive, and contains sections about standard
gimmicks and characters used throughout the years, women and midgets, the
role of managers, the history of tag team wrestling, and much more. Where
applicable, the book uses charts and tables to provide additional
information in a logical presentable manner (eg: a listing of wrestlers'
favourite finishers). As well, the presentation of the entire package is
discussed, from a list of Pay Per View shows, to a section on the fans and
the evolution of their role in sports entertainment.
One minor complaint about the book is that its discussion on wrestling today
concentrates mostly on the WWF and WCW. Although other promotions are
mentioned, this is done chiefly through a listing of names and inclusion of
some independent stars in the colour picture insert. I feel that the
discussion of these promotions, notably ECW, could have been expanded upon.
However, given the mainstream success of the WWF and WCW, it is not
surprising to see that they get the lion's share of the ink.
Another minor annoyance I experienced is that the book is about 6-8 months
behind the times in terms of story-lines and in its discussion of rosters.
For example, the book names Rocky Maivia as the leader of the Nation of
Domination, and still lists Bam Bam Bigelow as a part of ECW's lineup.
However, given the day-to-day changing environment of the pro wrestling
scene, such a lag is understandable, considering the time it likely took to
edit and publish the book. Realizing this information lag, the authors
offer a helpful section on wrestling web-sites, radio shows, and other
resources for readers who wish to remain current with storylines and follow
their favourite wrestlers from fed to fed.
Along with sports-writer Bert Randolph Sugar, Lou Albano has put together a
fully comprehensive resource for anyone who follows pro wrestling, from
newbie to diehard. Minor complaints aside, the book is an enjoyable read,
and would be a good addition to the bookshelf of any fan of sports
entertainment.
DETAILS:
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pro Wrestling" by Captain Lou Albano and Bert
Randolph Sugar (with introduction by WCW star Bill Goldberg). Published by
Alpha Books. Cost: $18.95 US, $28.95 CAD.
Bob Kapur is from Mississauga, ON and can be emailed at bobkapur@interlog.com.
